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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28517442">Mermen</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerenaJones/pseuds/SerenaJones'>SerenaJones</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Enter The Vault [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime &amp; Manga)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:00:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,211</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28517442</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerenaJones/pseuds/SerenaJones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>"That's an unusual family kamon."</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>The waiter laughed. "Yeah, from the family 'Sucks to be you'! It's a fishing lure. A buddy of mine got it stuck in his shoulder. I pulled it out for him. I thought it was 'alluring', so I kept it."</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"I would tend to agree - depending on what you're fishing for."</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"Hmm." The waiter thought for a moment. "I guess something long, and sharp. Not common to the waters around here. A little dark, a little cool. With blue eyes."</i>
</p>
<p>
  <i>"In that case, I would say your bait is perfect."</i>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On a tropical island paradise, Seto finds more than sand, surf, and sun.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jounouchi Katsuya | Joey Wheeler/Kaiba Seto, Kaiba Mokuba/Kawai Shizuka | Serenity Wheeler</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Enter The Vault [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2088705</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I am not sure if the second chapter of this is finished of not. I'm not sure if I want to write more about the kids or not. You want to see more, comment.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ningyoshima Island was mostly beach with a length of tropical forest keeping the sand from floating away, located roughly where Japan, Taiwan, and The Philippines met. East to west, the widest point was five miles, although from north to south was closer to two. It was populated year round by a wealth of birds, frogs, lizards, fish and two hundred or so humans. Some were scientists studying the unspoiled flora and fauna of the island. Most, however, were male descendents of the natives who had maintained simple tribal lives fishing and farming. They called their home Merandlais.</p>
<p>The island had electricity, all solar or wind, but torches were common. Cars were rare and also mostly solar. There were two hotels for the scientists and the few tourists that managed to find the place, and a restaurant/coffee house, and two large satellite dishes that gave the island some of the fastest internet connection on Earth.</p>
<p>Seto yawned and stretched. He couldn't remember the last time he woke up after sunrise. It was odd, feeling alert without two cups of coffee. Perhaps his brother was right about him being perpetually sleep deprived.</p>
<p>Maybe a vacation from the company will be a good use of my time, he thought for the first time ever.</p>
<p>He'd never taken one, not like this. Past vacations always involved him going to locations with at least a small corporate office that he could work from for an hour or two before taking his brother to see something with cultural or historical relevance. If he had ever gone anywhere purely because it was beautiful, relaxing, or fun, he had no recollection of it. Vacations were wastes of time.</p>
<p>But his brother, administrative assistant, and doctor had all ganged up on him, and insisted he go somewhere restful for at least a month. The island was sparsely populated, virtually unknown, and a perfect place to escape the modern world. It had taken him a week to stop calling the office hourly. And, he realized rather surprised, yesterday he didn't call at all.</p>
<p>He stretched more and got out of bed. He may not need coffee this morning, but the walk to the island's only coffee house was pleasant, and the all-male swim team that operated the place was as breathtaking as any tropical paradise. They called themselves 'mermen'.</p>
<p>He dressed. Only tourists wore shirts. Mermen wore nothing but skin tight swimwear and nipple piercings, and were the most openly homosexual group Seto had ever heard of, much less seen.</p>
<p>His admin had purchased an entirely new wardrobe for him for this trip. None of his preferred white leather, black turtlenecks, or tailored suits. Instead his temporary closet held khaki shorts/swim trunks and colorful - but tasteful - Hawaiian print shirts. Seto selected a pair of shorts - and a shirt - and headed out.</p>
<p>The hotel staff spoke as he left his bunglow and passed through the open air lobby. Most of the locals he saw in the morning nodded politely, but didn't chat. Almost all the local men fished using a method of deep sea swimming with no equipment. They all dressed in less provocative versions of the merman piercings/swim trunks. As far as he could tell, piercing was a tribal tradition, but oddly no tattooing. He'd seen very few children, but the boys no matter how young were pierced.</p>
<p>The local women manned the few boats they used, and did all the jobs on land. Which made the restaurant quite the anomaly. No women worked there. Not that he was complaining.</p>
<p>He arrived at the small building after a leisurely stroll. The line was short - most of the foreigners came earlier, most locals came in later.</p>
<p>"Kaiba-sir!" Bakura was at the register this morning, dressed in the 'traditional' island spandex swim trunks and was still wet as if he'd swum into work and didn't pause to dry more than his hair. "G'morning! You want French roast, ah?"</p>
<p>"Thank you. Any ceviche this morning?"</p>
<p>The man leaned back. "Ryou!" he shouted. "Ano ceviche ye?"</p>
<p>A stream of the local language flowed back. Bakura and Ryou, Seto had discovered were brothers. They wore matching nipple shields, a pair of cranes with closed wings. Bakura wore the crane on his left - the birth family side Seto was learning. On the right nipple - the relationship side, apparently - he wore a swordfish. His husband, Marik, also wore the swordfish on his right.</p>
<p>"Ceviche no, Kaiba-sir. Ah, hinava today."</p>
<p>Not a dish he was familiar with, but the restaurant only served raw seafood cuisine from all over the globe. It was a limited menu, but astoundingly good. He nodded. "Large coffee, small hinava."</p>
<p>"Ah!"</p>
<p>Seto took a seat at a table by the retaining wall that kept some of the sand and most of the ocean at bay. There were no full walls or windows. Only stone supports holding a thatched roof over a deck with a kitchen and a dozen or so tables. Two feet from his seat, Seto could see where high-tide had left debris. Beyond that, were a few meters of white sand and rocky coves. He watched as another staff member, Honda, walked out of the ocean with a net full of fish and headed into the kitchen.</p>
<p>"Your coffee, sir?"</p>
<p>His Japanese was perfect, which surprised Seto. Most of the locals spoke Merandlais-ese and at best a smattering of broken Asian languages.</p>
<p>He was new, or at least new to Seto. A golden blond with melted chocolate instead of eyes. Wide shoulders with tone but not bulging arms. Tan pectorals and perfect six-pack abs. On the left, a red-eyes black dragon surrounded his nipple, it's tail creating a cuff around the dark point itself. His right nipple had a piercing that looked like a fishing lure.</p>
<p>"Thank you." Seto took the beverage. "That's an unusual family kamon."</p>
<p>The waiter laughed. "Yeah, from the family 'Sucks to be you'! It's a fishing lure. A buddy of mine got it stuck in his shoulder. I pulled it out for him. I thought it was 'alluring', so I kept it."</p>
<p>"I would tend to agree - depending on what you're fishing for."</p>
<p>"Hmm." The waiter thought for a moment. "I guess something long, and sharp. Not common to the waters around here. A little dark, a little cool. With blue eyes."</p>
<p>"In that case, I would say your bait is perfect. I don't suppose you'd care to explore the issue over dinner?"</p>
<p>"Late dinner? I'm here tonight."</p>
<p>"Jounouchi!" Another patron yelled out. "Where you been?"</p>
<p>"Alex-sir!" He waved. "I was on my period," he laughed. He turned his attention back to Seto. "I'm free for dinner tomorrow."</p>
<p>Bakura shouted and Jounouchi shouted back.</p>
<p>"I should get back to it," the waiter sighed.</p>
<p>Seto smiled coolly. "We'll have time tomorrow."</p>
<p>A few minutes later, Jounouchi brought over a plate of fish in lime juice with scallions and mangos. Seto gave it a dubious look, but discovered the flavors married quite well. He finished his meal, then pulled out his tablet and opened his brokerage account.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, sir," Jounouchi said as he cleared the dishes, "but working is illegal when you're on vacation."</p>
<p>"I'll have you know, stock trading is my hobby. My work involves computer design."</p>
<p>"That's not a hobby," the waiter laughed. "I'm going on break; come swimming with me."</p>
<p>"Out there? In the open sea?" Seto scoffed. "Hardly! I'll admit it is stunningly beautiful, but only with a craft of some kind between me and it."</p>
<p>"Aw, come on! We've got -"</p>
<p>"Jounouchi, ah!" Marik came over and the two employees conversed in the local language.</p>
<p>Marik was the only one of the employees that didn't have that slender, swimmer's build. He may have had it at some point, but had let himself go, and now sported a pot belly that made him look almost pregnant. Which did not stop him from going shirtless or wearing spandex shorts.</p>
<p>After a brief conversation, Marik took the dishes and Jounouchi sighed. "I guess you win this round. We're running low on kelp. I need to swim out and get some because Marik can't go."</p>
<p>"A little exercise might help his waistline."</p>
<p>"Shh!" Jounouchi grinned. "He has zero sense of humor about it! Anyway, I gotta go. I'll be a couple hours."</p>
<p>"Well then, if I don't see you later, I'll be here in the morning for breakfast."</p>
<p>"I'll be here."</p>
<p>Jounouchi walked into the ocean. At a bit more than waist high, Jounouchi dove in and vanished. Seto searched the horizon for a boat but saw nothing.</p>
<p>Seto stood up and scanned the sea again. Even the most brilliant swimmer needed to come up for air at some point. He went to the register. "I think Jounouchi may be in trouble," he said, cutting over the woman ordering. "He hasn't surfaced yet."</p>
<p>"Ah? No trouble Kaiba-sir, ah? He Merman. Swim like fish." The cashier turned back to the woman ordering. "Latte, little, ah? You want chocolate?"</p>
<p>"I am telling you, Jounouchi may be drowning!"</p>
<p>"Kaiba-sir," Ryou stepped out from the kitchen. "Jounouchi imswe, good, ah? Him deep." His speech was peppered with English.</p>
<p>Seto switched languages. "Jounouchi may be drowning!"</p>
<p>The man looked relieved. "You speak English. Thank heaven for that." He forestalled Seto's next statement. "Jounouchi did dive deeply. There is a network of caverns under the island. We swim them quite frequently."</p>
<p>"I see." I must look like an idiot, Seto thought.</p>
<p>"People do drown out there, however. Our section of the beach is closed because we don't have a lifeguard. But it was good of you to watch out. Thank you."</p>
<p>"Think nothing of it."</p>
<p>Seto left the coffee house, feeling like he'd embarrassed himself enough for one day. He'd been watching men deep sea swim for eight days. He only noticed this one because he was attractive and available. There was no need to sit there, drooling at the beach until the handsome man returned. There was a glass bottom deck overlooking a coral reef on the far side of the hotel. It was a lovely spot to while away the day trading or playing the occasional game of chess. He could come back for lunch when the waiter had returned from his errand.</p>
<p>When he returned, the lunch rush was in full swing. All twelve tables were taken, and two people were waiting for orders. A man he didn't know took his sushi order. This one wore an elaborate jellyfish design across both nipples. It was large enough that Seto had to wonder if it was parody rather than tribal. He didn't ask, just took his lunch order and found an unoccupied rock on the beach.</p>
<p>"How's the mackerel?" Jounouchi strolled over as Seto was finishing. He offered the executive a cup of the local fruit-flavored beverage.</p>
<p>"Excellent. Thank you. I think I will miss the fish here more than anything else. Although, I confess, I think tomorrow I would prefer dinner at the hotel. Fish every meal can become a bit tedious."</p>
<p>"That's fine. I like, what's the bird, chicken? My father used to cook that before she split."</p>
<p>"I see." Not an area of conversation he wanted to pursue.</p>
<p>"And anyway, I'm more interested in eating you."</p>
<p>"I could say the same. I prefer to hold my partners, rather than be held."</p>
<p>He shrugged. "Ok. We can have other types of fun, yeah?"</p>
<p>Manual, oral. See what develops. Many partners have changed their minds once Seto had them in bed. "Of course."</p>
<p>The day passed pleasantly, with a brief tropical storm dropping 'liquid sunshine' in the early afternoon, and the evening temperature dropping from the steaming high of 28c to a refreshing 18c. The hotel's small dining room served simple dishes of local fowl, pig, and goat. Local spirits were rum and a fermented fruit juice too thick to be wine but paired well with a day spent doing almost nothing.</p>
<p>Eight days of restful, pleasant peace. Seto knew that twenty more days spent the same way would drive him insane. He was going to have to find something to keep his mind occupied while his body rested. Hopefully, Jounouchi would have a suggestion or two.</p>
<p>The blond joined him for breakfast at the coffee bar. "I don't know. My life is easy. Swim, fish. I get bored, I come here and watch the andlenma. The, uh," he thought a moment. "I don't know if there's a Japanese word. People who live on land."</p>
<p>"In Japanese, that would be 'people'," he chuckled. "Although, I guess you could argue that sailors live at sea."</p>
<p>"Not the same thing at all, but anyway, Merman don't get bored. We just swim further out."</p>
<p>"Hm." Seto considered the metaphor. "Swim further out. I suppose that would mean new waters for KaibaCorp. What would be new? What don't I already do?"</p>
<p>"You don't swim."</p>
<p>"I don't swim in salt water. I have a lovely olympic size pool. You should come swim there."</p>
<p>"Hate chlorine. I've been to Tokyo twice, to see my sister. Had to leave after a week. I don't know how andlenma live in places like that."</p>
<p>"I don't know how you live here. Not enough activity."</p>
<p>"We got activity. There's a 24/7 orgy seven kilometers that way."</p>
<p>"Oh? They didn't mention that on the island tour."</p>
<p>"No boat access. Swim only."</p>
<p>"That would severely limit the guest list."</p>
<p>"Well yeah," he smirked. "I mean, you don't want to breed with just anybody, right?"</p>
<p>"True," Seto laughed. "And I imagine 'breeding' is a popular hobby."</p>
<p>"You got a better idea?"</p>
<p>"No. But most other groups aren't nearly as open about it."</p>
<p>After breakfast, Seto rented a solar cart and toured the island alone. It began to strike him how low the female population was.</p>
<p>He also noticed something else. No schools. He found a church and a temple. There were dozens of temporary buildings for use by the various researchers. A few small farms, a goods market, a small clinic, even a radio station. Women seem to make up one-fifth of the population. He saw roughly twenty school-aged children, almost all boys.</p>
<p>But no schools.</p>
<p>Seto met Jounouchi at the restaurant for lunch.</p>
<p>"Tell me, were you raised here or on the mainland?"</p>
<p>"Japan? Not really. My father was Japanese so before we settled around here, we did kinda stay along the Pacific coast. But I was just a pup then, so I don't remember much."</p>
<p>"I was curious because I haven't seen many children. Or any schools."</p>
<p>Jounouchi chuckled. "Yeah, we're pretty light on that education thing. That's why my father left. She wanted my sister to go to school."</p>
<p>"And your parents didn't care about you?"</p>
<p>"I fish, I swim. What else do I need to know?"</p>
<p>"I'm just surprised that the government doesn't -"</p>
<p>"Government?" Jounouchi laughed loudly. "Mermen don't have a government! Hell, this place is as close as we get to organized."</p>
<p>"A nationless free state? I see. That would explain a great deal."</p>
<p>"Yeah? Like what?"</p>
<p>"Lack of women, lack of schools, lewd public dress -"</p>
<p>"Oh yeah, we're lewd. You're lucky it's winter. Come in the spring, it's mating season."</p>
<p>"I'll remember that next year."</p>
<p>"Hey." Jounouchi took his plate and put all their empty dishes on the retaining wall. "Come on. I wanna show you something."</p>
<p>He led the executive down the beach, away from the restaurant. They walked for several minutes.</p>
<p>"Where are you taking me?"</p>
<p>"Someplace the andlenma never see."</p>
<p>The sand became corser, and quickly became less sand and more shells and other marine debris. Barefoot Jounouchi didn't seem bothered by the sharp edges and rough textures.</p>
<p>They came to some volcanic rocks. Jounouchi climbed them quickly and helped Seto up. They walked further. To their left the ocean seemed infinite. The tropical forest to their right, impenetrable. Jounouchi flashed him a grin but kept moving forward.</p>
<p>They will never find my body, Seto assured himself.</p>
<p>They walked further.</p>
<p>Abruptly, Jounouchi stopped. "How can you get bored with this?"</p>
<p>The water in the distance was a shade of turquoise blue that seemed computer enhanced, but looking down, it was as clear as fine crystal. An aquarium worth of colorful fish darted in and around the reef below them. It looked too animated to be real, like a VR world brought to life.</p>
<p>"Beautiful," Seto breathed.</p>
<p>"Be right back," Jounouchi said, and stepped off the rock. The fish scattered as the blond hit the water. He didn't swim so much as undulate under the rocks. Time seemed to stop.</p>
<p>He knows what he's doing, Seto reminded himself. He does this all the time.</p>
<p>"Kaiba-sir!" the waiter called out from behind him. "Turn around and look down."</p>
<p>The volcanic rock was porous, with some spots forming a sort of latticework. Jounouchi waved at him from beneath the rocks. "Can you swim?"</p>
<p>"I don't like salt water."</p>
<p>"Yeah, but can you?"</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>"How long can you hold your breath?"</p>
<p>"Not long. Maybe a minute."</p>
<p>"Ok. I'm coming back."</p>
<p>This time it seemed like only seconds before Jounouchi grinned at him from the water. "Ok. Come on."</p>
<p>"I told you, I don't like -"</p>
<p>"I know. Come on. Jump in."</p>
<p>Odds were low that Jounouchi was hired to assassinate Seto. And if the waiter was psychotic enough to kill him, people had seen them together. That would give Mokuba a start for investigating his disappearance. At least the water was clear, and not muddy and polluted.</p>
<p>He took off his shirt, folded it neatly, and hoped it would still be there when - if - he returned. He sighed, took a breath, and jumped in.</p>
<p>The water was cold. Not icy, but cooler than the sunny beach. It took Seto a few moments to acclimate.</p>
<p>"You good?" Jounouchi asked. Seto nodded and the blond grinned. "Ok. Take a really slow, really deep breath. Try to fill your whole lung with air. Keep going. You done? Good. Now let it all out, slowly. Slow. Yeah. Ok. Do it again. In slow, really slow. Yeah. Ok, now out slow. Slow, slow, slow. Ok one more in. Slow. Slow. Slow. Ok. Hold it!"</p>
<p>Jounouchi took both of his hands and dragged him under the water. He pulled him down fast and it was an effort not to gasp in surprise. He felt their direction change and noted they were passing through a dark tunnel. He tried to remain calm and ignore his body screaming at him to breathe already. It took an eternity, and even with his eyes open, he couldn't tell where they were going.</p>
<p>And then his head broke the surface of the water and there was sunlight.</p>
<p>He took a gasping breath, tried to wipe the water from his face, and looked around.</p>
<p>An underground cave. Around them, the water had created something of a room. There seemed to be crystalline formations in the walls along with the worn pumice. For a ceiling, the azure blue sky and white clouds were framed like stained glass by the latticework above.</p>
<p>If Kami exist, they created this, he thought.</p>
<p>"We can sit over here," Jounouchi said, swimming to one side.</p>
<p>Seto followed and they sat on what appeared to be a natural shelf. From there, the whole cavern was like a painting.</p>
<p>"This must be a popular spot for divers," Seto observed.</p>
<p>"Nah, nobody comes here anymore but me. It's my favorite spot in the world."</p>
<p>"It is enchanting. Why your favorite?"</p>
<p>"I was conceived here." He grinned. "My father brought my father here when they mated."</p>
<p>Seto started to correct him, then realized it was irrelevant. One parent brought the other to the cavern. He focused on the more interesting implication. "Planning to 'mate' with me?"</p>
<p>"I don't know." Those chocolate brown eyes seemed to glow as Jounouchi brushed Seto's hair back. "How long you gonna be in town?" He leaned forward.</p>
<p>Seto leaned to meet him. Their lips joined softly. Jounouchi licked gently as if savoring the salty taste of the water. Seto flickered his tongue against Jounouchi's. Tuna and brine. Not a combination Seto would have thought enticing. He deepened the kiss, searching for other flavors. Jounouchi's hand slipped into the back of his hair. Seto pulled the man closer.</p>
<p>The kiss was passionate but lingering. Building his arousal, but not yet pushing Seto's desire to move beyond the kiss. He held him tighter, pressing their chests together. He could feel Jounouchi's warmth, feel his heartbeat. Their heartbeats seemed to blend, which was a novel sensation for the executive. He'd never felt so connected, so in tune with another person.</p>
<p>Jounouchi whimpered softly, and the sound made Seto shiver. Maybe it was time to move beyond kissing. The fishing hook was beginning to dig into his chest uncomfortably. He was breathless again. Seto opened his eyes, intent on pulling back for a moment. Something flickered beside them.</p>
<p>And then Seto forgot about Jounouchi all together.</p>
<p>The cavern walls were a kaleidoscope of flickering colors. The walls, the water, even themselves were painted with overlapping spectrems from all angles. It was incomprehensibly beautiful.</p>
<p>"Kami," he whispered.</p>
<p>"Beautiful," Jounouchi sighed.</p>
<p>"What...how…."</p>
<p>"The sun. The light hits it just before high tide and this happens."</p>
<p>"Sunlight…." Seto tried to force his rational mind to engage. A simple trick of nature should not leave him so awestruck. "Of course."</p>
<p>The effects began to fade, and then reappear. A cloud, Seto realized, as the rainbows returned.</p>
<p>The crystals on the walls of the cavern, capturing the sunlight and returning it from thousands of angles. Suddenly his brain engaged, and the science behind the magic began rolling through his mind. He pulled away from Jounouchi and studied the nearest wall.</p>
<p>Not quartz. Something else. "Extraordinary. Simply extraordinary."</p>
<p>"You like it?"</p>
<p>"I think it's the most amazing thing I've seen that I personally did not create."</p>
<p>Jounouchi laughed. "We have a saying, 'the shark is big until it meets the whale'."</p>
<p>"I have been accused of being a shark before. Usually, I'm more of a dragon."</p>
<p>"Yeah?" Jounouchi stood. He took a step toward Seto and stopped, looking at the water under his feet. "Oh. Itsh! We should go. Now."</p>
<p>"Now?" Seto joined him, getting back into the water.</p>
<p>"Ok. Fill your lungs again, like earlier. Inhale deep. Try to pull air into your whole body."</p>
<p>"How dangerous is this?"</p>
<p>"Not bad. Bad would be if it was up to there. This is just deeper than I meant to wait." He grinned despite the circumstance. "I kind of lost track of time. Keep breathing."</p>
<p>Seto took another breath.</p>
<p>"Ok. This time I want you to put your arms around my waist. And just hold on. I'm gonna swim fast. You just hold on. Ok?"</p>
<p>"Yes." Seto put his arms around the man. "I can think of worse positions before I die."</p>
<p>"If you live can I get another kiss?"</p>
<p>"I'll even give you two."</p>
<p>Jounouchi grinned. "Hold on."</p>
<p>The blond dropped like a stone then took off like a bullet. Seto was aware that they were moving faster than on the journey in, but when they surfaced he realized the only things he remembered were the contracting of Jounouchi's abs and the flexing of his ass.</p>
<p>They had to swim a few meters to find a place they could climb back onto the rock formation, but Seto's shirt was right where he left it.</p>
<p>"My kiss?" Jounouchi smirked.</p>
<p>They lost track of time again and it was dusk by the time they headed back to the restaurant. They walked slowly. Seto was shocked by how tired he was. They talked about family - their siblings, their parents. Seto couldn't remember ever wanting to discuss his family, or caring about anyone else's. Family was important to Jounouchi. They had dinner at the restaurant because it was quick and could be devoured as they walked back to the hotel.</p>
<p>At the door to Seto's room, he pulled the blond close again. "I promised you two." They kissed more. Somehow, they made it into the room, kissing.</p>
<p>Until Seto pulled away. "Must you wear this thing?" He rubbed his chest where the lure had scratched him.</p>
<p>Jounouchi chuckled and removed it. "You gonna give me a shark to replace it?"</p>
<p>"No. I only give dragons."</p>
<p>If chocolate could burn like lava, his eyes did. "Yeah. I'll wear that."</p>
<p>They kissed until they fell asleep.</p>
<p>Seto woke with the blond, naked, in his bed and couldn't remember ever feeling so physically satisfied without having sex.</p>
<p>"Good morning," Jounouchi murmured, "Seto."</p>
<p>Must be the tropics. The vacation. Love was a myth so it could not be that.</p>
<p>"Good morning, Katsuya."</p>
<p>For the rest of his stay, they spent every moment that Jounouchi wasn't working together. To pass the time, Seto bought Jounouchi a tablet and downloaded every KaibaCorp dueling app. The blond quickly learned to duel, and was overjoyed to see his dragon piercing in full color. He used the card's image for his digital icon and backgrounds.</p>
<p>Seto also bought a small scuba tank, and toured the coves with the blond.</p>
<p>They were at the restaurant when Marik collapsed. Everyone congratulated him as Bakura took his partner and left.</p>
<p>"What's happening?" Seto asked, curious, but not truly interested.</p>
<p>"Marik's about to drop. Two, I'm betting."</p>
<p>"Marik's a -" Seto stopped himself, "...was pregnant?" Nothing about Marik had even hinted she was a woman. "Oh. I thought she was just large." And, for a woman, highly unattractive.</p>
<p>"Yeah. I can see that," he laughed. "It's funny to see them both so excited. This isn't the first pup for either of them, just the first they actually know who the other parent is, know what I mean?"</p>
<p>Seto nodded. Given how sexually open the community was, that was probably a common occurrence.</p>
<p>"I know a lot of people do that," Jounouchi went on, "but I don't want that. If he fertilizes your eggs, you should stay with him."</p>
<p>Seto smirked. "That's quite a way to phrase it, but yes, I agree. You should usually marry before you have a child. I told you. If I 'fertilize' you, I'll give you my dragon." Seto kissed his lips and went back to reading. He realized that Jounouchi was looking at him oddly. "What?"</p>
<p>"You're leaving Monday."</p>
<p>"I can't stay forever." The blond looked as if he might cry, and Seto stroked his cheek. "We both knew this would have to end."</p>
<p>"I know."</p>
<p>"You are welcome to come with me. More than welcome."</p>
<p>"I -" Jounouchi got up suddenly. "I need to -"</p>
<p>"Kat-"</p>
<p>He turned away and ran across the beach. At the water's edge he threw himself in and vanished. Seto's blood pressure dropped as he reminded himself that Jounouchi all but lived in the water. That he didn't just drown himself with grief.</p>
<p>"He no like land boys," Honda said behind him, surprising Seto. "You special."</p>
<p>"He is special."</p>
<p>The man looked hard at him. He grunted and walked away.</p>
<p>Seto stayed at the restaurant, but Jounouchi didn't return. After several hours of watching the moon glowing on the waves, Ryou sat at his table.</p>
<p>"We never actually close, but we have run out of fish," he said. "So it's coffee only until someone comes in with fresh catch."</p>
<p>Seto nodded. He wasn't hungry.</p>
<p>"You know about our crests," he touched his breast gently, "but did Jounouchi tell you the full meaning?"</p>
<p>Seto shook his head. Tribal customs always have meaning.</p>
<p>"Look." He thrust his chest forward, squeezing it upward. "Look at the bar. You'll never understand truly until you do."</p>
<p>The executive sighed. He wasn't interested in anyone's tits except Jounouchi's. But this little culture lesson was unlikely to end otherwise.</p>
<p>He looked at the presented piercing. Behind the design, the bar attaching it was not only through the nipple, but ends were actually imbedded in the flesh. The skin was tight, meaning the only way to remove the object was to cut it open.</p>
<p>"Mine is still visible because I was in my teens when I found my family. Malik's was given at birth. His is completely sealed over."</p>
<p>"Barbaric! In most civilized countries, it's illegal to pierce children."</p>
<p>"You have heard that sharks are attracted to blood in the water? To remove this, I must bleed. Understand that statement. I would rather die than part from my family. Than part from Malik. To remove my crest is to invite the shark to dinner. Did you notice Jounouchi's scar?"</p>
<p>"Scar?"</p>
<p>The Brit nodded soberly. "When his mother left, the piercing was still loose. Not grown in. His father sliced under it, saying they were no longer family. In Merman, that means you should be bait. Jounouchi found that dragon he wears on a beach somewhere. It has no meaning." Ryou stood up. "Jounouchi said you told him you would give him your dragon to wear. Did you intend to be his family?"</p>
<p>"No." He had not intended to propose. At the moment, in fact, he'd meant nothing more than a sexual tease. "Surely he wouldn't think I meant…."</p>
<p>"Probably not. This time for him has been a fantasy. It is more painful than you know for that fantasy to end." Ryou left him to his own thoughts.</p>
<p>Saturday, Jounouchi vanished. If any of the mermen knew where he was, they weren't confessing. Coffee and fish. A revolting combination, Seto thought sourly. And it was unsanitary to serve food while shirtless. The hotel's food was serviceable and didn't allow him to stare longingly at the beach.</p>
<p>He spent most of Sunday packing. It was probably better that the blond waiter vanished, and saved them both the drama of some ridiculous tear-stained theatrics. It wasn't even a fling. They never did more than kiss.</p>
<p>A warm shiver passed through his body at the thought of Jounouchi's kisses. I will never find another -</p>
<p>He stopped that line of thinking. He met a handsome man while on vacation. Hardly newsworthy.</p>
<p>Maybe…. Maybe if he were at liberty to stay on the island, maybe if Jounouchi were willing to move to Domino. Maybe if the relationship had even a vague possibility of a future.</p>
<p>But it didn't. There was no point in weeping over the man who was most likely the love of his life.</p>
<p>Sunday night, Seto did return to the restaurant for dinner. He was eating when he saw Jounouchi amble into the torchlight. He was dripping wet. Seto went back to his meal and pretended not to see the blond god moving in his direction.</p>
<p>"I needed some time to think," Jounouchi said without preamble.</p>
<p>"My ship leaves at 8am sharp tomorrow. I will be making it a short night."</p>
<p>"Look, there are some things I haven't told you. Things…. I love you."</p>
<p>"That's touching." Seto took a bite of his fish. "I think a burgundy would pair well with this. I'll send you the name of a supplier."</p>
<p>"Come on. I know you aren't going to leave your life and stay with me, but can you at least acknowledge what's happening here?"</p>
<p>Seto paused. "Are you saying that you are willing to come with me?"</p>
<p>Jounouchi looked like he might honestly cry. "Seto - I can't. I - Mermen have to -"</p>
<p>"Then there is nothing else that needs to be said." Seto resumed eating. "We are two ships that pass in the night."</p>
<p>"Don't do that." Jounouchi stopped the next forkful of food. "Seto, do you love me?"</p>
<p>"An irrelevant question."</p>
<p>"Do you?"</p>
<p>"Would that make it less painful? If I said 'yes', would that lessen the heartbreak?"</p>
<p>"No! Of course not!"</p>
<p>"Then why ask? Why give me your heart, knowing I cannot keep it?"</p>
<p>"Because I want to give you me."</p>
<p>"Meaning?"</p>
<p>"I told you top only, but the truth is I want to be held, but not by just anyone." Jounouchi looked away, almost shyly. "I want the right one. A husband. Kids. A family." He looked back at Seto. "I know we can't have that, not really, but...well…." He shrugged. "I am ovulating. It seemed like the right time."</p>
<p>Despite his anger and hurt, Seto couldn't stop the snicker that escaped him. "You are ovulating?"</p>
<p>"Don't laugh," Jounouchi pouted. "I'm serious."</p>
<p>"I thought that for you, conception equaled marriage."</p>
<p>"It does," Jounouchi agreed and touched his bare right breast. "We have a child, and I'll wear your crest. It may not mean anything in Japan, but it would mean something to me."</p>
<p>"Katsuya, if you were a woman, I would give you triplets."</p>
<p>"Yeah?" He leered. "Think you can do it in a short night?"</p>
<p>"So in the end, this is about lust?"</p>
<p>"No. For lust, I walk away now, ships passed. If this is about love, then tonight is one final gift. Tell me you love me, and make me yours."</p>
<p>Seto put his fork down. He wiped his mouth, stood up and climbed over the retaining wall.</p>
<p>"What are you -"</p>
<p>Seto knelt in the sand and took Jounouchi's hand. "Katsuya, I love you so much, I am terrified that I will not be able to return to my life without you. I cannot bear the idea of a future without you, but I cannot stay here and abandon the life that I literally bled for. If bearing your children would unite us, then I would gladly do it if I could."</p>
<p>Jounouchi kissed him. "Ok, now it's about lust. I hope that hotel has thick walls."</p>
<p>They didn't run, but they didn't waste time returning to Seto's room. They began kissing before the door was fully shut. Jounouchi began removing Seto's shirt as Seto's fingers began exploring every inch of Jounouchi's skin.</p>
<p>"A month in paradise and you still look like a pearl in moonlight." Jounouchi teased, kissing a now exposed shoulder.</p>
<p>"We all aren't made of sunlight." Seto kissed away from the clavicle he was worshipping and made his way down to the nipples he'd been craving. His lover gasped and shivered. "Liked that?"</p>
<p>"Did I mention that Mermen wear these because we have crazy sensitive nipples?"</p>
<p>"A cultural fetish." Seto sucked hard and Jounouchi quivered. "Have you ever orgasmed from nipple play alone?"</p>
<p>"Gods! I think I'm about to!" Seto switched sides and sucked hard again. "Oh Gods! I can't - I -"</p>
<p>Jounouchi's legs seemed to give out under him. Seto caught him and lowered him to the floor. His lips remained focused on the amazing chest before them. His hands struggled to remove Jounouchi's perpetual swimsuit.</p>
<p>Jounouchi combed his fingers through Seto's hair. "Oh Gods, that's so good!"</p>
<p>Seto paused sucking to pull the tight spandex shorts over Jounouchi's delightfully round ass. "You sound surprised."</p>
<p>"No one's ever made me feel like this."</p>
<p>"Hm." Seto smirked. "No one else is me."</p>
<p>Jounouchi's cock was rigid. Seto kissed it but returned to the man's chest. After a few more minutes of sucking and nibbling, they discovered that yes, he could orgasm from nipple play alone.</p>
<p>"Gods!" Jounouchi lay gasping. Seto leered. "Oh no, not again. My turn."</p>
<p>He rolled and Seto let himself be pushed to the floor. Shortly, his remaining clothes were in disarray around the room. The blond grinned, kissed him, and slid down.</p>
<p>Gently, he lapped the head of Seto's cock.</p>
<p>"Mmmm." The executive purred.</p>
<p>Jounouchi sucked the head into his mouth. Seto gasped as the man abruptly inhaled and deep throated his entire length. The sensation was almost too tight. He groaned.</p>
<p>"Katsuya - too much - love -"</p>
<p>Jounouchi released him. "Aww, no fun."</p>
<p>"I didn't say stop, darling. I just wasn't prepared to be swallowed whole. No one's ever done that."</p>
<p>"No one else is me," Jounouchi smirked. They shared another kiss. "Now. Lie still and let me please you."</p>
<p>The blond began sucking and licking Seto's cock, and before long the executive found himself craving release. Jounouchi didn't make him wait. To Seto's surprise, his lover seemed to relish swallowing his seed.</p>
<p>"Oh Gods," he panted, moving to Seto's side. "I want you. I want you inside me! Please!"</p>
<p>"You've never -" Jounouchi shook his head. Seto kissed him. "We should get more comfortable."</p>
<p>They moved to the bed. Seto paused to search his toiletries and found the tube of lubricant he kept there.</p>
<p>Slowly, he opened Jounouchi. One finger became two. Jounouchi's gasps and mews helped to restore Seto's erection. When Seto's fingers found Jounouchi's prostate, the blond arched off the bed.</p>
<p>"Calm, love."</p>
<p>"Oh, itsh!" Jounouchi moaned. "That! Do that again!"</p>
<p>Seto smiled and began massaging his prostate. It was difficult with Jounouchi unable to remain still, but soon the man was actually screaming in ecstasy.</p>
<p>"I think you're ready."</p>
<p>"No," Jounouchi grabbed his hand. "I can feel them releasing." He smiled blissfully. "One more. Please, Seto. Just to be sure."</p>
<p>Seto wasn't sure how much longer he could control his own need to plunder the erotic blond, but he marshalled his self control. He added more lubricant to his fingers and did his best to make Jounouchi howl again.</p>
<p>This time when his lover dry climaxed while calling his name, Seto had no ability to stop himself from entering the man forcefully. He pulled out and in several times before controlled himself again. "Katsuya! I - I'm sorry. Was that ok? Are you in pain?"</p>
<p>"Lova tu!" Jounouchi moaned. He gasped and arched again. "Lova tu!"</p>
<p>Seto stroked again slowly and watched with fascinated lust as Jounouchi's stomach muscles convulsed. His cock seemed to weep more ejeculate, but had lost none of it's stiffness.</p>
<p>"Beautiful," he breathed.</p>
<p>Jounouchi looked at him then, eyes glazed and deep as if the whites had been swallowed by his irises. "Tu osspring - nouso osspring - beautiful," he whispered. He took Seto's hand and placed it on his stomach. "Eelfe nouso ationcre."</p>
<p>Under his hand, inside Jounouchi, Seto could feel something moving. "What -"</p>
<p>Jounouchi chuckled warmly. "No questions, love." He fingered his nipples. "I did mention crazy sensitive nipples, right?"</p>
<p>That distracted Seto from the mysterious movement. He leaned forward and softly licked one nipple, then the other. Jounouchi moaned and arched. Seto shifted his hips and Jounouchi gasped.</p>
<p>For a while, Seto played, teasing the depth of his shaft against how hard he sucked or softly he licked the swollen buds. Jounouchi's moans became louder as he arched both his hips and chest, aching for more attention. At least twice, he convulsed convincing Seto he'd climaxed without ejaculating again.</p>
<p>"Etlma, please!"</p>
<p>Seto wasn't sure what his lover said, but the pleading tone and the accompanying quivering was translation enough. He pulled back some - ignoring Jounouchi's whines of dissent. He used the head of his cock to pummel the spot his fingers had earlier located.</p>
<p>Jounouchi screamed something unintelligible and wildly thrashed about. Suddenly he arched, and released a geyser of thick white cream. Seto rammed his shaft deeply into his climaxing lover and began pounding as if desperate for his own release. After a few minutes, Jounouchi's arms encircled him. They stayed locked like that for what seemed to be hours.</p>
<p>And then almost without warning, the dam burst and Seto felt his seed explode. It felt as if his very life force was pouring into Jounouchi.</p>
<p>"Aishiteru Katsuya," he sighed.</p>
<p>"Lova tu, Seto" Jounouchi whispered, kissing him with as much force as either of them could muster. "Lova tu, lova tu, lova tu…."</p>
<p>When Seto woke, Jounouchi was gone.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Ok, I'll see you in a minute," Mokuba said to the phone. "Love you." He hung up. "She's at security. She'll be here in a moment."</p><p>"Brother, relax." Seto struggled not to laugh as Mokuba nervously checked his hair again. "If you have chosen this woman, I'm sure we will get along fine."</p><p>Mokuba was engaged. It was astounding to Seto. How could time have flown by so quickly?</p><p>"You'll love her! She's beautiful and smart and perfect."</p><p>"Then calm down."</p><p>"I'm calm. How do I look?"</p><p>"If she hasn't complained about your looks yet, there's nothing you need worry about at this point, surely."</p><p>"Big bro!"</p><p>Seto did laugh then. "You look fine."</p><p>The phone buzzed. "Yes?" Seto answered his receptionist.</p><p>"Shizuka Wheeler is here."</p><p>Mokuba grinned like a child on Christmas morning.</p><p>"Thank you. Send her in."</p><p>Five years ago, Seto returned from his vacation, heartbroken but inspired. He created the Aquatic Kingdom and Jungle Empire expansion packs for duel monsters and added related sections to the KaibaLand theme parks. In the time since his initial trip, KaibaCorp had added a marine ecology division and was working on innovative scuba equipment that used oxygen storage crystals instead of tanks. And a line of high quality duel-themed jewelry.</p><p>Spending the month of February on the island was now an annual trip for the executive. He had a large, custom made, solid silver nipple shield of a coiled blue eyes white dragon for Jounouchi. He kept it in a black velvet box. He had his own right nipple pierced with a subdued barbell, and had a small version of the coiled dragon made as an attachment. He had yet to give it to his lover, however.</p><p>Jounouchi vanished, and no interrogated friend, bribed dock master, or hacked computer disclosed any sign of him. It was as if the ocean swallowed him without a trace. Seto returned anyway. It was his only connection to the man. He would be damned if he lost that too.</p><p>The woman who entered the office was lovely, but why Mokuba was so nervous was readily apparent. Wheeler was an attractive, auburn-haired young woman in her early twenties. Hiding behind her legs was a golden-haired girl.</p><p>"Wheeler-san," Seto nodded. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last. And who might this young lady be?"</p><p>"This is my niece, Aiko. She lives with me. Aiko, this is Mokie-oji's brother, Kaiba-san. Say hi, sweetheart. Don't be shy."</p><p>Niece. Seto gave his brother an arched look.</p><p>"Aiko's father travels a lot, so we - so Shizuka is looking after her until he settles down," Mokuba explained. "She's a great kid."</p><p>"Until he settles down. And when do we anticipate this occurring?"</p><p>Mokuba and Shizuka exchanged a look.</p><p>"I see." Seto looked at the child again.</p><p>Aiko looked up at him, her large chocolate brown eyes looked concerned. Five years melted away in a heartbeat. Her name was even 'love child'.</p><p>He knelt down in front of her. "Come here, Aiko." It took a bit of coaxing, but she stepped closer to him. "How old are you?"</p><p>"Four," she said quietly.</p><p>"Four. And what grade are you -"</p><p>"BLUE EYES!" she shouted, looking past Seto's shoulder. "Auntie, Blue Eyes!" She ran for Seto's prized figurine.</p><p>"NO!" Seto's long legs got him to the shelf before young hands could touch the delicate model. "That is not a toy."</p><p>"But -"</p><p>"No touching! You may look at it, but no touching." He waited for her to agree, then moved the figurine to where she could see it better.</p><p>"Pretty," she sighed.</p><p>"Blue eyes is her favorite duel monster," Shizuka explained.</p><p>"She has superior tastes," Seto shrugged.</p><p>"So, uh, we have reservations, big bro."</p><p>"And we shouldn't be late." He put the model back in its proper place. "You may come see it again at another time."</p><p>"Promise?"</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>They left for the restaurant, a formal place chosen to allow adults to have adult conversation. When they arrived, Aiko tugged Shizuka's sleeve. "Auntie, can we go there?"</p><p>Next door was a diner that served conveyor belt sushi.</p><p>"Sweetheart," Shizuka soothed, "raw fish isn't good for little children. You'll like the food here."</p><p>"Do you like sushi?" Seto asked the child.</p><p>She nodded. "Papa let me have some when I went to see him one time."</p><p>"My brother is a little ...eccentric," Shizuka laughed awkwardly.</p><p>"Very well." Seto nodded. "I trust you know how to behave in a restaurant?"</p><p>Aiko was very well behaved. She was able to add up the cost of each item she selected, and with a little assistance, kept a running total of her own meal. She could discuss her favorite duel monsters in detail. She loved fish and the beach, and wanted to be a ballerina and an astronaut when she grew up. Her birthday was October 29.</p><p>Seto began making plans for Shizuka and Aiko to move into the mansion before the wedding. While the happy couple was on their honeymoon, Aiko was Seto-oji's shadow.</p><p>Aiko's new bedroom had every possible BEWD toy. </p><p>The next few years were good to the Kaiba family. KaibaCorp continued to thrive. Mokuba and Shizuka welcomed two daughters, Ishiko and then Mozuka. They formally adopted Aiko. Aiko was the top student in the third grade, and the third student in her elementary school. She spent more time with her Uncle Seto than with her parents.</p><p>Aiko was overjoyed when Seto announced that he was taking his annual trip early, and for her 10th birthday, would take her with him.</p><p>Travel time was the better part of two days, but Aiko was bursting with energy when they arrived.</p><p>"Can we go to the beach for breakfast?" It wasn't quite 7am.</p><p>"Child, we have just arrived. I'm old. I need rest."</p><p>"You're not old," she scoffed. "Please? You said they make the best coffee. Please, Oji-chan?"</p><p>Seto rolled his eyes. Maybe she would exhaust herself on the beach. "Very well."</p><p>As they walked, Aiko took his arm. "You're not old. Not that old, at least. All the girls in my class think you're a hottie."</p><p>"It's not the years, it's the mileage," he replied.</p><p>Nothing about the restaurant had changed except that Honda's adolescent son worked there, and Bakura's pre-teen son often helped out.</p><p>"G'morning, sir. You want, ah?"</p><p>"A large French roast. What's available this morning?"</p><p>"Ah, ano mackerel, hinava."</p><p>"Two hinavas. And a small cafe au lait"</p><p>"I want cappuccino!" Aiko complained. "Otousan lets me drink it."</p><p>"I am not my brother. When your father deals with you, that's fine. Go sit down."</p><p>Instead, she leaned against the wall and marvelled at the beach. Seto took their drinks and sat at his favored table. Shortly, their food was served, and Aiko regalled him with all of her observations so far.</p><p>"Kaiba-sir!" A familiar English voice called out. "Welcome back. How are -" Ryou's eyes went wide. "Oh my lord! Is this - this can't be Aiko? I thought Shizuka had her!"</p><p>Seto didn't hear a word as his brain tried to process what he was seeing.</p><p>Ryou was pregnant. Clearly. Unmistakably.</p><p>He opened his mouth and immediately closed it. Anything he said would sound stupid. Ryou was male. Seto had seen him in the restroom. The only way he could be pregnant is if he was born female and later transitioned. Was that possible? In this population, it was probably common. That would have explained Marik as well.</p><p>"I believe congratulations are in order," Seto said, disregarding the conversation prior. "Allow me to introduce my niece, Aiko. Aiko, this is one of the employees here, Ryou."</p><p>Ryou opened his mouth and immediately closed it. "Your niece? Not your daughter?"</p><p>"Sadly, no." He smiled fondly at the girl. "Not my daughter."</p><p>"But she's Jounouchi's -"</p><p>"KAIBA-SIR!" Bakura's voice boomed over them. "Good see, ah?" He roughly looped his arm around Ryou's neck, and the rest of the conversation was hissed in the local dialect as Bakura pulled his brother away.</p><p>"I wanna get pierced," Aiko stated.</p><p>"You ...what?"</p><p>"I want a piercing. I think they're cool. But Mom said I have to wait until I turn 20 and move to the US."</p><p>"Both," Seto agreed, his blood pressure dropping some. "Once you are an adult and no longer under my roof, you may make whatever mistakes you choose. Ishiko can inherit KaibaCorp."</p><p>She made a face at him. Then she jumped up, pointing. "Dolphins! Look, Oji! Dolphins!"</p><p>There was a school of them, close enough to be seen. Seto took her to an outcropping of rocks near the restaurant's employee entrance. From there, she had a better view.</p><p>From there, Seto saw Honda and Joey emerge from the surf carrying a bag of fish each.</p><p>"PAPA!" Aiko suddenly screamed. She scrambled off the rocks, scraping her knee, and not seeming to care. "Oji, it's Papa!"</p><p>"What are you - be careful! You'll hurt your-" he tried to stop her. "Who is -"</p><p>The girl tore away from him and ran down the beach. Toward the surf.</p><p>Toward Jounouchi.</p><p>"Papa! Papa!"</p><p>Seto watched as Jounouchi saw the child. He dropped the fish and ran to meet her. He embraced her the way you would expect a man to embrace his child.</p><p>How could Jounouchi have a child? Was that why he'd stayed hidden all these years?</p><p>Honda walked past him with both bags. "You back. Good." He went into the restaurant.</p><p>Suddenly Aiko was back. "You're the BEST, Seto-oji!" She threw herself around his neck and lavished his face with kisses. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"</p><p>"Aiko! Wait! Sto-!" Through the kisses, he realized the Jounouchi was gone. "Where -"</p><p>"Papa went to get Setsuya and Kato."</p><p>"Went to get who?"</p><p>"My brothers."</p><p>Seto found himself dizzy and dropped awkwardly on the sand. "Brothers? Since when do you have brothers?"</p><p>"Mom doesn't like talking about them." Aiko shrugged. "They're Mermen. I haven't seen them since we were little." She hugged him again. "This is the best birthday ever! Thank you Oji!"</p><p>Katsuya had children. Ten years ago. Was he seeing the woman before they met? After? Was any of what happened real?</p><p>No wonder Aiko looked so much like his lost love. No wonder she reminded him of Katsuya in so many ways.</p><p>"Seto?" Three sets of feet were dripping wet in front of him, but he refused to look up. "I guess their feet look weird to you."</p><p>Weird was not how Seto would describe his lover's children's feet. Aiko's feet were adorable. Jounouchi's sons' feet were undoubtedly…</p><p>...webbed.</p><p>The boys both had webbed toes.</p><p>"What happened?" Seto asked, looking up finally.</p><p>The boys had webbed fingers, as well. And, gills. And reddish-brown hair with blue eyes.</p><p>"Oh my gosh!" Aiko burst. "Setsuya and Kato look like Seto-oji!"</p><p>Seto searched for a rational explanation, but there wasn't one. No science justified two boys who looked like his aquatic clones. How? Semen extracted from their one night together? A surrogate to carry the children? Genetic experimentation to make them gillmen? The astronomical cost of technology involved?</p><p>"Yeah. Most andlenma don't want the sons. They take the girls, usually, the ones that survive. But not sons."</p><p>"How is this possible?" Seto whispered.</p><p>"Three? I don't know. You said you'd give me three, but I didn't know it was even possible. Two is rare. I've never heard of anyone having three eggs at one time. My friend said it's something about you."</p><p>"How is it possible for two men to conceive? Are you a seahorse? Because otherwise, none of this is real!"</p><p>"We're not seahorses. My friend - he's one of the scientist guys - explained it to me. Seahorses, humans, most things are two types - either they make eggs or they fertilize eggs. Mermen are one; we can do both."</p><p>The explanation made no sense. "You are not a different species merely because you live on Ningyoshima."</p><p>Jounouchi sat down. "My friend said we're a mu - mu-something. I don't remember -"</p><p>"Mutation," Seto supplied. "A genetic abnormality."</p><p>"See, guys! I told you your father was smart! These two, they're really smart, way smarter than me."</p><p>"So, you are saying that you are a genetic aboration and that all three of these children are products of you and I."</p><p>"Uh, yeah." Jounouchi nodded. "I think that's what I'm saying."</p><p>"Why are you telling me this now?"</p><p>"You brought Aiko home. I figured you knew already."</p><p>"And there was a reason you didn't tell me ten years ago?"</p><p>Jounouchi looked out at the water. He looked at his sons and spoke to them in the local tongue. They responded and then took off for the water.</p><p>"They can't stay out of the water for too long yet. Their lungs aren't big yet, and their gills haven't closed."</p><p>"And yet Aiko is perfectly normal."</p><p>"Girls lose their gills early. I did like my father. I kept them in a cavern so that as soon as her lungs started coming in, she was near the surface. Once she started spending more time dry than wet, I called Shizuka."</p><p>"I thought you didn't like me because I couldn't swim good anymore." Aiko sniffed.</p><p>Seto had nearly forgotten she was there.</p><p>"What?" Jounouchi moved beside her. "No, earlpa! No! You couldn't breathe. I was afraid you would drown. Plus, Shizuka could send you to school. And don't you like that andlenma she married?"</p><p>"Why didn't you call me?" Seto snapped. "If you couldn't find me in Domino, you could have told me while I was here."</p><p>"I didn't know -"</p><p>"Stop! If you are about to lie and say that none of your friends told you I've been waiting for you every year, don't." Jounouchi looked at the sand. "The truth."</p><p>The blond shrugged. "You still can't stay, I still can't go."</p><p>"You didn't tell me we have children! You kept my children from me!"</p><p>"Andlenma don't want Mermen pups!" Jounouchi insisted. "Shizuka could hide her. And the andlenma she married -" He stopped suddenly. "Wait - you aren't the -"</p><p>"My brother," Seto clarified. "Shizuka married Mokuba, making me legally, Aiko's uncle. And I want her desperately."</p><p>"That's up to Shizuka. If she -"</p><p>"I don't give a damn what anyone else says! I'll run the DNA. If Aiko is my daughter, she should be raised knowing the truth."</p><p>"REALLY?!" The girl herself squealed in his ear. "I love you Seto-oji!" She inhaled, shaking with excitement. "Can I call you 'Tousan'?"</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>"Seto-tousan!" She flung herself around him.</p><p>Seto turned his attention back to Jounouchi. "And as for you - come." He stood awkwardly with Aiko still hanging onto him.</p><p>"Come?"</p><p>"I told you I would give you a dragon to wear."</p><p>"Wh-what?"</p><p>"I don't have it on me."</p><p>"Oh. I - I know you wouldn't…. Andlenma say things like that all the time."</p><p>"I am not andlenma." Seto shifted Aiko's weight. "Come."</p><p>Jounouchi stood. "I - oh, wait!" He ran to the water, diving in. After a few minutes, he returned with the two boys in tow. "They can stay with Honda."</p><p>"Certainly not," Seto chided. "They are coming with us."</p><p>"But -"</p><p>"Are they my sons?"</p><p>"Yeah, but -"</p><p>"Then they come with us." He headed back to the hotel.</p><p>The short walk seemed to take forever. They received a few odd looks as they passed through the hotel lobby.</p><p>When they reached Seto's bunglow he paused. "Do they need to swim?"</p><p>"Not yet." Jounouchi shrugged. "Maybe another hour."</p><p>Seto nodded and opened the door. He put Aiko on the couch and went into the bedroom. After a moment, he returned with the black jewelry box.</p><p>"Is there a registry, or some sort of license we need here?"</p><p>"What's a registry?"</p><p>"Who decides who wears which kamon?"</p><p>"You mean these crests? You want to wear one, wear one."</p><p>Seto handed Jounouchi the box.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I keep wondering where does this go? Jou is now moving to Japanese waters, Seto is not going to live on the island. Love, yes, they have that, but really, how can they have a relationship? And I don't really like sad endings. Real life has enough of those.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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